Chronic Migraine Symptoms

Anyone who has faced the debilitating pain of a migraine headache will never want to experience it again. Unfortunately, a segment of migraine sufferers have chronic migraines, which the National Headache Foundation classifies as migraines that occur on more than half the days in a month, for more than three months. Some people with chronic migraines experience a migraine every day.

Symptoms

• Migraines are more than "just a headache," and several symptoms distinguish them from tension, sinus or other headaches. Migraine pain---which can be sharp or throbbing---is often concentrated on one side of the head or in a particular area, such as above the left eyebrow. Nausea, vomiting, neck pain and sensitivity to light and sound are common during a migraine attack. In addition, some migraine sufferers report visual disturbances known as "auras" before or during a migraine. Auras may appear as black spots or bright lights, similar to what you might see after a camera flash. They can also present themselves as blurred or wavy vision.

Diagnosis

• Before a diagnosis of chronic migraine can be made, you and your doctor should rule out other possibilities. This may include undergoing a CAT scan, blood work or other diagnostic tests to rule out tumors, sinus pressure, anemia or other headache causes. Once a diagnosis has been made, you and your doctor can decide on a plan to treat your chronic migraines.

Chronic Migraines and Pain Medication

• Both over-the-counter and prescription medications exist to treat migraine symptoms, but chronic migraine sufferers should use pain medications with caution. Taking these medications too often can actually make chronic migraines worse, triggering what are known as "rebound headaches" that begin when you have no pain medication in your system. Overuse of pain medication can also interfere with the effectiveness of preventative medications.

Treatment

• Because chronic migraines occur so often, prevention is the best treatment. Start by keeping a headache diary to identify potential migraine triggers. Note what you were doing, how much sleep you got, what you've eaten or drank, what the weather is like, and other factors surrounding an onset of a migraine. Stress, MSG, caffeine, lack of sleep or red wine are all potential triggers. Once you identify your triggers, you can avoid them to reduce migraines.

  Although the reasons behind their effectiveness are still unclear, certain types of beta-blockers, anti-depressants and anti-seizure medications have all successfully reduced chronic migraines in many sufferers. In addition, the American Family Physician published two studies in which the supplement Co-Enzyme Q10 effectively reduced chronic migraines in 50 percent of sufferers. Most preventative medications need to build up in your system before they become effective, but not all people respond to preventative treatment the same way. Communicate with your doctor about your preventative treatment. In some cases, chronic migraine sufferers may be on life-long preventative treatment, while others may be able to go off medication after "breaking the cycle" of chronic migraines.

Warning

• Although migraines are extremely painful, they are usually not life threatening. However, if you experience a severe headache that is different from your usual pattern, see a physician immediately.